Looking for some advice...

[jutman1776]

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I am currently at the University at Buffalo doing my undergrad in Psychology with 2 semesters left I am trying to decide if it is even possible for me to get into PT school or should i just apply to PTA school when i'm done. So far I have taken anatomy and physiology which i got a C and C+ in which i will be taking over this summer (teacher was fired after I took her class). I also have an A in stats, B+ in developmental psych, A in sociology, and A in english 1 and 2. What I am worried about though is I am absolutely horrid at math so bad that i was in remedial math in high school. So the fact that I have to take two chemistry and two physics classes has got me in a conundrum. currently my overall GPA is a 2.8 GPA which does not help I know and this is my fault partly for switching majors 4 times basically to try and avoid taking the 2 chemistry and 2 physic classes and to take something similar to PT. I was a exercise science major then switched to liberal arts to get gen eds at my community college. Then I transferred to a 4 year and was taking Athletic Training eventually i transferred from there (even though i loved the program) to University at Buffalo taking pre-OT classes which i am not liking at ALL! From the start i knew i wanted to be something within the PT field I have over 200 hours of observation that i got at an outpatient facility. My question though is should I even attempt to go for PT even though my math skills are not even close to the level of a majority college students especially those applying to PT schools? or should i just go for PTA (even though there is way less autonomy which worries me about PTA)?

thanks for the help in advance!,
Justin

 

[trimex104]

Hey fellow UB student!

First of all who got fired? (Not Tamburlin right?!? She was awesome!) Anyways, to be honest I wouldn't let whatever you think your weakness is stop you from doing what you want. While chemistry and physics is somewhat math based it is not solely math. There is a lot of theory in these classes as well. And I'm sure we both know how crazy the curving of grades is at UB. So all you need is to do better than most of the people in the class to get a good grade, and many people do absolutely terrible in these classes so you can hopefully get a good grade. If you want to do DPT at UB you better make sure you take their long list of prereqs before hand. And its pretty competitive. The only school in Buffalo that's transfer friendly is DYouville, Daemen doesn't accept almost any students due to their undergrads that get moved up their 3+3 program. So chances are you might have to look elsewhere. But long story short, if you don't think you will be happy as a PTA, then why even consider it? I say study your ass off and go for it!

 

[jutman1776]

Hey fellow UB student!

First of all who got fired? (Not Tamburlin right?!? She was awesome!) Anyways, to be honest I wouldn't let whatever you think your weakness is stop you from doing what you want. While chemistry and physics is somewhat math based it is not solely math. There is a lot of theory in these classes as well. And I'm sure we both know how crazy the curving of grades is at UB. So all you need is to do better than most of the people in the class to get a good grade, and many people do absolutely terrible in these classes so you can hopefully get a good grade. If you want to do DPT at UB you better make sure you take their long list of prereqs before hand. And its pretty competitive. The only school in Buffalo that's transfer friendly is DYouville, Daemen doesn't accept almost any students due to their undergrads that get moved up their 3+3 program. So chances are you might have to look elsewhere. But long story short, if you don't think you will be happy as a PTA, then why even consider it? I say study your ass off and go for it!

No the teacher that got fired was at my community college. I did take physics this semester but decided to drop it because i needed more one on one help and going to TA hours as well as meeting the teachers wasn't doing it. I got a 46 on my first exam average was a 62 and i wasn't doing well on my lab quizzes either and this was with me studying 4 hours of it a day plus 2 hours skyping with my dad for help because he is an engineer. The next test average was a 46 from what i heard but i dropped the class before i took that test. I'll probably take both physics and chem at my community college if i decide to go the PT route although i heard chem is not as bad as physics at UB. I have absolutely no preference of where i go as long as i get into a program and graduate. I am already extremely stressed though haven't had a weekend off from studying since the first two weeks and i feel like i'm trying to keep up with the joneses because of my lack of educational ability in order to even get into PT school.

 

[trimex104]

Yeah I remember undergrad man, its a ****ty time for anybody that is concerned about their future. Many kids I graduated with never really stressed during school and they aren't really doing much now. Taking your prereqs at a smaller school might be a good idea if you feel you would benefit from closer knit classrooms, something UB definitely doesn't have. I feel that if you do really well in your prereqs you should still be competitive.

 

[jutman1776]

Yeah I remember undergrad man, its a ****ty time for anybody that is concerned about their future. Many kids I graduated with never really stressed during school and they aren't really doing much now. Taking your prereqs at a smaller school might be a good idea if you feel you would benefit from closer knit classrooms, something UB definitely doesn't have. I feel that if you do really well in your prereqs you should still be competitive.

yeah I feel I need that one on one help especially when it comes to physics and chem. anatomy and physiology doesn't scare me a bit plus I enjoy learning about it. Another problem is I am already 22 and will be 23 when i graduate that means if i decide to go to PT school and get accepted somewhere I will be 25 or 26 plus add three years of that i'll be 29 and there goes my 20's lol.

 

[trimex104]

I graduated HS at 17, did 5 years of undergrad (double major and just loved taking all sorts of random classes). Took 3 years off. 1 planned, 1 just sort of happened and the last I made the stupid mistake of only applying to one school that happened to make no room for transfers that year. I just turned 25 and am starting PT school this coming June. It is true, you won't be one of the young people graduating, but you'll be right around average I'd imagine...and hope.